


In nomine Patris et Filii

by magnusbaene



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: (maybe), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Edom Angst (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, asmodeus loves magnus but he's still a dick (excuse my language)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 14:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14595240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnusbaene/pseuds/magnusbaene
Summary: The thing Magnus resented the most was the resemblance, the way their relation was an unmistakable fact. Even now he could see himself in the way Asmodeus leaned on his cane, his magic transforming the room with a lazy wave of his fingers.“Magnus Bane,” Asmodeus drawled, slight grin on his face, “welcome home.”—Magnus negotiates with his father. It doesn't go as planned.





	In nomine Patris et Filii

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey, it's been a while. Magnus going to Edom has inspired me. Keeses to [Liv](http://www.sunnyalec.tumblr.com) for reading over this for me!!  
> Have fun!

 

The flames were tearing at his skin, flaring against the spell which called upon them. The shrieking rays of molten heat were only fuelled by Magnus’s screams, growing bigger and more destructive as they devoured his entire being. A thick black cloud exploded into the air, transforming the loft into plumes of darkness and misery. He heard Alec cry out, a desperate _Magnus!_ as the fire spiked. Overcome, he fell to his knees, his flesh burning, and when he dragged his head back up, desperately wishing to see Alec’s face one more time, he found himself looking into the scorching heat of an orange sun.

He felt the portal close behind him, cutting off Alec’s sobs and pleas. With a groan, he stood up, the fire still licking at his skin, but no longer causing any pain. The air was thick with magic, twisted and evil as it tried to burn itself into his body. With guilt in his heart, Magnus let out a deep breath, and let his feet carry him through Edom.

Walking through the desolate wasteland before him proved harder than he expected. The dust settled heavily on his shoulders, in his mouth, clinging to him and making him fight for every breath. He didn’t know how long he had been walking, only that every landscape looked the same, and for a second, he felt despair pull him further down. The growing realisation that he might not succeed in his mission had tears prickling at his eyes.

Sudden footsteps made Magnus stop. He raised his hands, magic at his fingertips, the red merging with the world around him. Turning around, he saw them. Hundreds of demons slinking towards him, groaning and screaming, black liquid oozing to the ground.

“Well,” Magnus’s voice breaking from disuse, “shit.”

With great effort, he moved his arm back. His bones cracked, the magic flared to life, and he dragged his feet across the salt-covered ground into a fighting stance. Raising his other arm, he merged the magic sparking in his hands, a ball of energy forming between them. He felt the air grow even heavier, the smoke that emanated from him filling his lungs. Magnus knew that this fight would cost him greatly, but he also knew that all those demons weren’t enough to beat him. Not when they were standing in his domain. Readying himself, he waited for the first line to meet him, a strategy planning out in his mind. He formed his magic into an arrow, and as they neared him, pulled it back. He took a breath, three more steps, two, one, his fingers curled, his eyes glowed gold and—

he watched the Asmodei slink out of his way, all shuddering in fear.

His magic simmered back into his body as they created a clear path for him, and he began walking forwards. The tendrils of smaller demons curled around his feet, following him obediently. Magnus gritted his teeth, realising that this was all part of a show. Before his magic could form again, the last Asmodei slowly moved out of his way, leaving a single figure standing against the glowing sun. The familiar silhouette pushed the air out of his lungs, _this isn’t possible._

“Hello, old friend.”

_“Ragnor?”_

—

 

“You can’t be here.”

“And yet I am.”

Magnus watched as Ragnor’s smile turned gentle, his eyes shining the way they did all those years ago when Magnus told him he wanted to leave Camille. He was hit with a devastating sense of longing as his eyes flittered over Ragnor’s form. His tattered clothing, the burns on his hands, the way his bones pressed against his skin, and the lack of magic in his body.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, forcibly pushing the words out of his throat.

“Your father sent me to get you,” Ragnor replied, “he thought it would be good for you to see a familiar face.”

“Good for me,” Magnus scoffed, “Nothing about this is good for me. No offense.”

Magnus was startled by Ragnor’s laugh, echoing loudly in the space between them. And yet, it seemed unnatural, as if he had forgotten how it felt to be happy.

“Oh, old friend, how I have missed you,” Ragnor said. The words felt like blades on Magnus’s skin, reminding him of the last time he had seen him alive.

“Me too,” he whispered, voice soft, “I miss you every day.”

With sudden vigour, Ragnor turned and pulled Magnus into his arms. The two men stood amidst the death and destruction of Edom, clinging to each other as if their lives depended on it. With a sigh, Ragnor let go, taking a moment to look at Magnus’s face.

“You shouldn’t have come, Magnus.” Ragnor said, and resumed walking, leading Magnus to his doom.

It felt like hours until they reached his father’s palace. It looked nothing like the structure it used to be, the runes lining the large doorway were the only remnants of the civilization that had been decimated by Asmodeus’s army many millennia ago. The pointed towers made it look like a crown, illuminated by the blood red light of the sun, dripping down the walls. Ragnor took a few steps forward, his arms trembling as he tried to push open the gate. Wordlessly, Magnus stepped up next to him, but as soon as his hand touched the cold stone, it burned bright, the fire engulfing Ragnor’s hand.

“I’m fine! I’m fine,” Ragnor cried out, cradling his charred hand against his chest. With a curse, he ignored Magnus’s whispered apologies, and to his horror, pressed his shoulder against the flaming stone. The door opened with a groan, almost masking Ragnor’s screams as he passed the barrier. A moment later, Magnus stepped through, looking back to see the demons who tried to pass behind them burn into ashes. The door fell shut, the sudden silence oppressing. Magnus moved through the entrance hall, no longer in need of a guide as his father’s magic called out to him. As he reached the last room, as empty and abandoned as the ones before, Magnus sighed. Raising his hands, he let his magic fill the space around him.

“Enough of your games, Asmode-,” Magnus cut himself off as the magic surrounding the room vanished, revealing the man he had come to see.

The thing Magnus resented the most was the resemblance, the way their relation was an unmistakable fact, in looks, in energy. Even now he could see himself in the way Asmodeus leaned on his cane, his magic transforming the room with a lazy wave of his fingers.

“Magnus Bane,” Asmodeus drawled, slight grin on his face, “welcome home.”

Magnus scoffed. “Can we move past the pleasantries?”

“Is a father not allowed to welcome his favourite son?”

“I’m the only son you haven’t killed yet,” Magnus countered, hoping that his sharp grin would distract from his shaking hands.

Challenged, his father moved forward, the cane trailing on the ground. “I did call you my favourite, didn’t I?” He raised his hand, as if to lay it on Magnus’s shoulder, before dropping it again, gaze turning gold. “You have come because you need my help.”

Steeling himself, Magnus let his glamour drop. Their golden eyes met. “Yes.”

Lips twitching, Magnus watched Asmodeus’s gaze travel past him, falling on the figure still standing by the door. “And what are you ready to sacrifice, my dear?”

With a snap, the room was filled with Ragnor’s screams, and the smell of burning flesh. Closing his eyes, Magnus sighed. “You should know by now that your glamours don’t fool me, father.”

Magnus turned to see Ragnor melt into oozing black, the demon underneath his skin revealed. Asmodeus hummed, a proud smile growing on his face. “Oh, how I have missed you,” he echoed mockingly. “You activated my barrier to see whether he burned. I’m impressed.” Chuckling, he grabbed Magnus’s shoulder. “Now, let’s talk business.”

Swallowing hard, Magnus kept his eyes on his father’s hand. “I want you to stop Lilith.”

“What did she do now?” Asmodeus groaned, waving his hand to summon a chair for himself.

“She has been wreaking havoc in New York. When I confronted her,” Magnus hesitated, “she threatened to kill me.”

Asmodeus’s eyes grew dark. “She wouldn’t dare.”

“The only reason she didn’t was because she knew that you wanted to do the honours,” Magnus said, “I’m not sure how long that will stop her.”

His father took a long look at him, eyes piercing his soul, and Magnus forced himself to stay still. Finally, he pursed his lips. “I will help you.”

The tension didn’t leave Magnus. “What do you want in exchange?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Magnus scoffed, “I don’t have time for your games.”

“Is it so hard to believe that I’m doing this because I love my son?”

“You don’t know what love is!” Magnus could feel his magic spark at his fingertips, tendrils of red slowly making their way up his arm. Asmodeus’s eyes followed the show of power with a bemused smile. “Just get it over with, kill me. I don’t care as long as you stop Lilith.”

Asmodeus shook his head, his eyes almost sad. “Oh, Magnus. It won’t be _me_ stopping her.”

“What? You just-”

“You will stop Lilith.”

With that, Asmodeus stood, hand reaching towards Magnus and gripping his chin. “I think it’s time for you to use the magic I have given you so long ago. It’s time you stop wasting your gift, _son_.”

Pulling himself free, Magnus felt the terror creep up his veins, lodging itself in his throat as he moved back. “ _Gift?_ ” He murmured, “You forced this on me even though you knew I couldn’t have controlled it at that time. It took me years to bury it far enough that it couldn’t harm anyone again. All those people I-,” he cut himself off. A shiver crawled up his spine at the memory.

“And look what you’ve become,” Asmodeus countered, “Magnus Bane, the strongest warlock in existence. Feared, hated, and loved for his power. Imagine what else you could achieve, if you weren’t so afraid of it yourself.”

“Stop this,” Magnus said, breath coming faster, “I don’t want your power. That’s not who I am.” Clenching his fists, he took a step closer. “I propose a new deal. You kill me now, you can have my magic. I won’t fight you.”

With a disappointed sigh, Asmodeus turned away, moving towards the charred remains of the demon by the door. A snap of his fingers, and the black mass came to life, groaning and transforming into something else, and when Magnus began to recognize just who it was, he felt bile move up his throat.

“Magnus, please,” Alec’s face was filled with anguish, tears marring his cheeks, “please, come back. _You promised_.”

Magnus closed his eyes as they began to fill with tears. “Please, stop.”

“I like him,” Asmodeus said, finger pressing against Alec’s jaw. “The pain he will feel when you die will fuel me for centuries. But the time for that hasn’t come yet. Do you really want to make him suffer, Magnus? Make him wait in vain? You know Nephilim only love once, he will be devastated.”

"Don't leave me, please." Alec's tears had transformed into blood, red lines running down his face.

“ _Stop_.”

“You have always been my favourite creation, Magnus,” Asmodeus moved back to him, raising both hands to his face, “My son. Even though it is inevitable, killing you will break my heart. Allow your father a chance to see you flourish one more time. Allow me,” he paused, and Magnus felt his magic sink into his skin as he finally stopped struggling, “to unlock something in you as well.”

A scream tore its way out of Magnus’s mouth as the wards around his mind broke down, as his magic was torn apart and built anew. When he opened his eyes, the room around them lay in shambles. Destruction unparalleled in its greatness.

“Do you know how proud I was when you chose your name?” Asmodeus drawled, surveying the ruins around them, “Now go, my son, kill her and save your friends. We will meet again when you’re ready.”

Chuckling, he snapped his fingers.

“I promise.”

—

 

With a gasp, Magnus found himself back in the loft. The charred remains of the pentagram vanishing in purple flames as his magic did its work. Magnus felt his mind expand, his body unable to contain his new-found power. He felt the air turn to smoke, felt the leylines running through this city call out to him. Then, he felt the fissures in his wards as his magic pushed against them, testing and rebuilding without a conscious thought. It sparked when it recognized the person outside his front door, throwing it open before he could reach it himself.

“ _Magnus_.”

Alec’s voice was filled with despair and relief, and when he began moving towards him, Magnus met him halfway. Alec’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, face buried in his neck as sobs wracked his frame. Magnus’s hands pushed against his back as if they could merge them into one, never to be parted again. That’s when he realised that his magic was moving towards Alec’s arm, healing and rebuilding the broken bone and charred skin. Moving back as much as Alec would let him, he searched his face.

“Are you okay?”

“You’re asking me?” Alec answered, a desperate laugh escaping him. He moved his hands to frame Magnus’s face, eyes scanning him for injuries. “The owl, Lilith, they,” he took a deep breath, “they knew that you were gone. He told me that I had sent you to your death. I couldn’t- Magnus, I couldn’t-”

“Alexander,” Magnus shushed him gently, and Alec’s eyes snapped back up at the sound of his name. “I’m here.”

“You are,” he breathed, “you came back to me.”

“I promised, didn’t I?” The words felt like fire in his mouth. _I will never be ready to leave you._

“Magnus,” Alec began again, thumb caressing his cheek, “What happened? What did you do?”

Magnus saw Alec’s eyes widen as the tears began falling down his face, “I’ll tell you everything, just, please let me- I love you.” He said, pulling Alec into a desperate kiss, his hands moving to tangle in Alec’s hair. And when they parted, Alec pulled him back into his arms, pressing words of love into Magnus’s skin.

And as they stood there, clinging to one another, his magic stilled, and the burning embers fell gently to the ground.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on tumblr @ [magnusbaene ](http://www.magnusbaene.tumblr.com)!  
> Or on twitter @ [magnusbaene_](https://twitter.com/Magnusbaene_)!


End file.
